Legend of Grimrock

[LESS T_T]

It looks like playing Dance Dance Revolution with hands.

 

[LESS T_T]

http://www.grimrock.net/2015/05/04/grimrock-ipad-has-gone-gold/

Wohoo, the long wait is almost over! Legend of Grimrock for iPad is now in gold status, meaning that it is 100% complete and will be available in the App Store in a few days. Stay tuned!

If you are a member of press and would like to get a review copy, please mail us at contact@almosthumangames.com.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

The question that's more on my mind is...why bother?

Did they do the market research and find that iPad sales for Grimrock are an untapped gold mine or something?

 

[Infinitron]

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Necroing this thread since I finally got around to playing and beating this game. I went with a minotaur fighter, lizardman rogue, insectoid mage and human mage. I got the characters up to levels 13/14, with the minotaur specializing in axes and heavy armor, the rogue with daggers and dodge, the 1st mage with air magic and spellcraft, and the 2nd mage with fire magic and spellcraft. Later I found out that I didn't build the best party for pure damage, but I still liked my characters.

I prefer turn-based games or RTwP to action blobbers, but I wanted to play due to the hype. I just never got around to it until now. The problem I have with most action RPGs is that I feel they test the skill of the player instead of the abilities of the character that I'm roleplaying. I'll admit I did enjoy playing this though.

Pros:
+ The game is gorgeous on the top resolution. The larger enemies look fantastic, especially the ogres.
+ I like the little secrets and puzzles spread out all over this game. I only found half the treasures, so I know I must of missed much, so it was very rewarding when I would notice a small square button or etched rune.
+ Alchemy was pretty awesomely useful. Every time I found a plant or scroll with alchemic instructions, I got excited. I normally avoid crafting in most CRPGs since that's what shops and my huge amount of loot is for, but in a game like this I found using alchemy to be pretty vital.
+ Despite having plenty of food at the end, I still felt like I needed to push forward and not dally. For most levels, food is finite, so I was worried that I would find myself stuck away from a healing crystal, surrounded by monsters, and having to depend upon resting to heal up and charge spell points. That was always in the back of my mind.
+ The mood of the game is spot on. It's just your lonely party surrounded by traps, puzzles, and things that want to kill you. Every location could have something wonderful to find or horrible to flee from. Man, that's great.

Cons:
- The timing of this game often screwed me up. I might try to dance around an enemy and move right, change facing, move right again, swing, but my inputs would come too fast and often would not register, causing me to pound the mouse input again and again. It somehow felt like the game had timing issues, and I suffered for it.
- The list of spells was too limited. I think I only depended upon five or six spells from my two casters, and of those I used lightning bolt and fireball for almost every encounter.
- The end boss was frustrating to me. I had to look up a hint on how to defeat him since I though I could wail away on him and lower his defenses, like you have to do with a certain spell-casting enemy on this level. Even then, I though the last encounter was a bit dumb, considering the manner of his attacks. The biggest danger was being pinned between multiple enemies while the boss smashed you. Kind of weak.

I heard Legend of Grimrock 2 is even better, so I'll probably tackle that sometime later in the year. Another couple of action RPGs to go and then I need to get back to some turn-based games to scratch that itch.

 

[hackncrazy]

Grimrock 2 is a great game.

The only complaint I have is that I loved the whole claustrophobic feel that the first one gave with the whole dungeon. In the second, this is gone a bit because a lot of the game is in outside locations.

But if you liked the first, I can't see how you can go wrong with this one.

 

[Jack Dandy]

I agree with hackncrazy about the lack of claustrophobic feel, BUT I'd like to add that with the addition of outdoor areas, the dungeons sometime feel even MORE dungeon-y (despite being smaller in size.).
The contrast between walking around the sunlit beaches and places like this:

Really amps up the "Oh shit, this is an interesting underground place, I want to explore the shit out of it" feeling.

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

I heard Legend of Grimrock 2 is even better, so I'll probably tackle that sometime later in the year.

Legend of Grimrock II has improved character customization (more classes and the addition of skills), more varied environments (there are a number of outdoor areas, and the dungeon levels also have more variety), and a substantial amount of non-linearity in overall structure; but some of the puzzles are overly abstruse, and it feels less cohesive than the original.

 

[Darth Roxor]

LoG 2 >>>>>>>> 1, and everyone who says otherwise is a decline enabler.

 

[V_K]

Personally, I found the outside locations in LoG2 quite creepy as well. It's kinda like in one horror show they played upbeat pop songs as background for most horrific scenes, which somehow made them even more unsettling.

 

[One Stoned Bastard]

Man, I decided to pick these two games up, not as a fan of blobbers or anything as they were from before my time, and yeah, they're very nice games and everything, but that combat. The statistical side of things is actually pretty good but sidestepping around that 2x2 while precision-clicking the HUD makes me want to kill myself. Apart from that, top notch exploration, although it's lacking context. In any case, they definitely scratch an itch.

 

[MicoSelva]

I recently found my save games from 2012 (and floor #5), so I decided to finish the game while waiting for Kingmaker to be patched... (I should have picked something longer.)

Overall, I enjoyed the game, even with all its simplicity (I usually prefer more complex RPGs) and weird take on real-time blobber combat (not a fan, but I don't hate it either). I really liked the end boss, which surprised me in a good way and was a good test of the character and player skills trained during all those dungeon floors. Since I heard, LoG2 is better than the first one in every way, it is now definitely on my to-play list.

 

[Jarpie]

I recently found my save games from 2012 (and floor #5), so I decided to finish the game while waiting for Kingmaker to be patched... (I should have picked something longer.)

Overall, I enjoyed the game, even with all its simplicity (I usually prefer more complex RPGs) and weird take on real-time blobber combat (not a fan, but I don't hate it either). I really liked the end boss, which surprised me in a good way and was a good test of the character and player skills trained during all those dungeon floors. Since I heard, LoG2 is better than the first one in every way, it is now definitely on my to-play list.

Beside the skill system, LoG plays very much like the original Dungeon Master/Chaos Strikes Back, and I loved it. In the original DM/CSB you gained levels by doing shit, if you hit enemies with melee weapons, the character gained fighter levels...or if you cast spells, you gained wizard levels...I can't be only one who got his frontliners wizard levels by equipping wand or staff with mana and casting level 1 light spells...

 

[Unkillable Cat]

...I can't be only one who got his frontliners wizard levels by equipping wand or staff with mana and casting level 1 light spells...

Not really, as even magazine hint sections back in the day pointed out that this was how the game raised character levels. The question is how you went about it. Auto-fire joysticks came in very handy for this reason, but I'm not sure if that feature is even available on modern joysticks and controllers...

 

[Jarpie]

...I can't be only one who got his frontliners wizard levels by equipping wand or staff with mana and casting level 1 light spells...

Not really, as even magazine hint sections back in the day pointed out that this was how the game raised character levels. The question is how you went about it. Auto-fire joysticks came in very handy for this reason, but I'm not sure if that feature is even available on modern joysticks and controllers...

I don't think it was possible to play DM/CSB with a joystick, and turbo fire wouldn't have worked for wizard spells as the light was fourth rune, and you had to start from level 1 spell. Although, it would've worked for fourth level fire/fireball spell.

 

[ItsChon]

Why the fuck does anyone like this game? You just side strafe while clicking q/e and hitting enemies? Maybe it switches up a bit depending on the AI movement/ranged attacks/whatever, but how does anyone find this rewarding or tactical or difficult?

 

[Unkillable Cat]

We just do. Now shaddap and play your Turn-based game.

 

[ItsChon]

We just do. Now shaddap and play your Turn-based game.

So I'm not exploiting the system? The game is actually MEANT to be played like this? Holy fuck...

 

[Unkillable Cat]

IIRC the goal is to make the player feel the 'immersion' of actually being in the dungeon, of actually trying to dodge run away from the monsters and the traps and such.

 

[Denim Destroyer]

Grimrock is a puzzle game with occasional dance battles to break up the tedium. Love the game.

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

So I'm not exploiting the system? The game is actually MEANT to be played like this? Holy fuck...

Dungeon Master in 1987 already had combat based around evading enemy attacks through grid-based movement. The focus of the subgenre it established ("real-time blobbers" or Dungeon Master-likes) is firmly exploration, with combat a secondary consideration. If you're the sort of person who only enjoys combat, then this is an RPG subgenre that can only disappoint you (and not the only one).

 

[Grunker]

Why the fuck does anyone like this game?

because mental illness exists

 

[ItsChon]

IIRC the goal is to make the player feel the 'immersion' of actually being in the dungeon, of actually trying to dodge run away from the monsters and the traps and such.

Grimrock is a puzzle game with occasional dance battles to break up the tedium. Love the game.

The focus of the subgenre it established ("real-time blobbers" or Dungeon Master-likes) is firmly exploration, with combat a secondary consideration.

I wouldn't mind a game that's focus is on exploration and puzzles with combat as a secondary consideration as a way to enhance the two things I just mentioned, as well as adding another dimension to the game. The issue is that from what I've seen (played about three hours), the game doesn't do a great job of making either the exploration or the puzzles fun. I know I've only played a few hours, so I'm sure the puzzles get harder and the locations more elaborate, but if this is the first impression that one gets from playing the game, it's not off to a good start. There are tons of reused textures, the dungeons themselves due to the nature of blobbers are filled with rectangular rooms/hallways, which are not conducive at all to making any of the architecture interesting. What's the point of exploring if the pay off is more of the same? There are no massive caverns or interesting ruins to see. In terms of the puzzles, all of them were extremely simple, with hints that were super on the nose.

What I don't understand is that if the whole point of the game is supposed to be puzzles and exploration, why wouldn't I just go play something like Myst? That game also has the benefit of having a free moving camera and varied level design where I can actually appreciate what I'm exploring, and a great story that is far more complex and engaging than the one in LoGR (though the concept is a good one).

From what I've heard, the creators knew this and LoGR 2 took a ton of steps to fix this, so unless I'm mistaken, all these points are very valid ones. And all of these points are independent of the actual blobber system itself which is honestly total shit. I actually felt uncomfortable zooming around and whirling the camera from left to right. I won't go so far as to say nauseous as I always thought the idea of that was absurd, but it felt so shit that I really had to pause for a second and blink my eyes. I am willing to overlook this for a game that delivers on everything else, but it's clear to me LoGR does not do that.

I can definitely see why a game like this might appeal to someone though, but even if I can see it, it doesn't appeal to me, and I'd say that even said person who enjoys such a game must admit it is inferior to other, proper RPGs, in almost every way.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

IIRC the goal is to make the player feel the 'immersion' of actually being in the dungeon, of actually trying to dodge run away from the monsters and the traps and such.

Grimrock is a puzzle game with occasional dance battles to break up the tedium. Love the game.

The focus of the subgenre it established ("real-time blobbers" or Dungeon Master-likes) is firmly exploration, with combat a secondary consideration.

I wouldn't mind a game that's focus is on exploration and puzzles with combat as a secondary consideration as a way to enhance the two things I just mentioned, as well as adding another dimension to the game. The issue is that from what I've seen (played about three hours), the game doesn't do a great job of making either the exploration or the puzzles fun. I know I've only played a few hours, so I'm sure the puzzles get harder and the locations more elaborate, but if this is the first impression that one gets from playing the game, it's not off to a good start. There are tons of reused textures, the dungeons themselves due to the nature of blobbers are filled with rectangular rooms/hallways, which are not conducive at all to making any of the architecture interesting. What's the point of exploring if the pay off is more of the same? There are no massive caverns or interesting ruins to see. In terms of the puzzles, all of them were extremely simple, with hints that were super on the nose.

What I don't understand is that if the whole point of the game is supposed to be puzzles and exploration, why wouldn't I just go play something like Myst? That game also has the benefit of having a free moving camera and varied level design where I can actually appreciate what I'm exploring, and a great story that is far more complex and engaging than the one in LoGR (though the concept is a good one).

From what I've heard, the creators knew this and LoGR 2 took a ton of steps to fix this, so unless I'm mistaken, all these points are very valid ones. And all of these points are independent of the actual blobber system itself which is honestly total shit. I actually felt uncomfortable zooming around and whirling the camera from left to right. I won't go so far as to say nauseous as I always thought the idea of that was absurd, but it felt so shit that I really had to pause for a second and blink my eyes. I am willing to overlook this for a game that delivers on everything else, but it's clear to me LoGR does not do that.

I can definitely see why a game like this might appeal to someone though, but even if I can see it, it doesn't appeal to me, and I'd say that even said person who enjoys such a game must admit it is inferior to other, proper RPGs, in almost every way.

The Grimrock-games are an homage to the genre that Zed described: It began with Dungeon Master, it evolved with Eye of the Beholder, then Lands of Lore, then Stonekeep, and then suddenly it disappeared in 1996 - only to reappear in 2012 with Legend of Grimrock.

All these games had the same "problems" you described - and yet people played them. LoG took the core aspects of the genre and updated it for modern systems. The reason it has Freelook is to help people get their bearings and to give them a tool to understand the game's puzzles better - something that was not available in the other titles I mentioned, where people had to map out the solutions on graph paper (or in their head).

You want more of the same with exploration? You're gonna love the suggestion I'm about to give you: Play the sequel instead. LoG 1 is 100% indoors, the sequel is not. The sequel also adds some minor Metroidvania elements and isn't restrictive in travel - once you reach the castle several paths of travel and exploration open up... and the visuals are boosted to reflect that.

The core gameplay isn't gonna change though... but the monster reactions get more elaborate. LoG 2 is about as good as this genre gets; if you can't find enjoyment in playing that, then these types of games aren't for you at all. (Make sure to create a character with Darth Roxor 's profile image, and to groom and pet him regularly.)

 

[Infinitron]

Suddenly, Grimrock on Nintendo Switch:

Legend of Grimrock, the revered dungeon-crawling role-playing game classic, arrives on Nintendo Switch on January 15th! ⚔